West Park Hospital carer’s information

Reception telephone – 01325 552 000

Visiting hours – 2pm to 4pm, 6pm to 8pm

Please speak with a member of the nursing team if you would like to arrange a visit outside of these times.

Welcome to West Park Hospital

Having a loved one admitted to hospital can be difficult. This leaflet will provide you with information and reassurance about the process.

Who is involved in their care

Your loved one is in a safe and supportive environment. They will receive specialised care and treatment from a team of professionals including:

• nurses and healthcare assistants
• consultants
• psychologists
• pharmacists
• occupational therapists
• dietitians
• social workers

Care and treatment options

During your loved one’s stay in hospital, we will focus on assessment, treatment and helping them feel more stable. We will work closely with you both to develop a personalised care plan that meets their specific needs. This may involve:

• medication
• therapy
• occupation assessments
• social assessments
• therapeutic interventions and activities

How we can support you

At West Park Hospital we encourage you and your loved one to be open and honest, and to work together. At the same time, we must also respect patient confidentiality. We will tell you how your loved one is doing and include you in planning their care when it’s right. You can always ask questions or share anything that might help.

It is important that people in our care can stay in touch with family and friends. We aim to support this as much as possible.

Please don’t hesitate to talk to the ward staff if you have any concerns or need support. There are several ways we can support you or direct you to a service that can. We are here to help both you and your loved one through their stay with us. We will provide the best possible care by working together to support their recovery and return home.

Find out more about our confidentiality and information sharing policy.

Formulation meeting

With your loved one’s consent, you may be invited to an initial meeting to discuss their care and recovery. This is called a formulation meeting.

In this meeting, both inpatient and community care teams meet with you and your loved one to decide how we might best support them.

Formulation meetings help us to:

• make sense of how the patient’s life experiences may be linked to their current difficulties
• identify factors that may be adding to their difficulties
• create a plan to support their recovery

If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, please speak to a member of the team who can discuss other options and support you to participate.

Prohibited items

Prohibited items or contraband are things you’re not allowed to have, bring or use on our trust grounds. We ask that carers support the wards by not bringing in items such as:

• sharp objects – knives, scissors, etc
• alcohol
• prescribed or illicit substances
• plastic bags
• cigarettes
• lighters

Smoking

Our trust has a no smoking policy. Smoking is not permitted within the hospital grounds. Smoking cessation advisors work within the service and can provide support and guidance.

Find out more about our no smoking policy.

Carers’ hub

Our carers’ hub offers further information, support and events available within your local area.

Contact information

Maple Ward (male acute) – 01325 552 044
Cedar Ward (PICU) – 01325 552 140
Elm Ward (female acute) – 01325 552 063
Birch Ward (eating disorders) – 01325 552 053
Oak Ward (elderly) – 01325 552 098
Willow Ward (rehab) – 01325 552 089